Posted on 02/21/2020 3:25:56 PM PST by SpeedyInTexas
Will a pandemic hit the USA? Hopefully not, but the odds are the highest in our lifetime. Prepare now in case it happens. If it happens, there will likely be empty grocery store shelves, long lines at gas stations and hospitals.
1). Food
Stockpiling food is essential. Suggestions: Rice, oat meal, canned/dry beans, ramen noodles, canned tuna, sardines, summer sausage, potatoes. Fill up the pantry. Much of this food is CHEAP. $200 will buy so much rice, oat meal and beans.
In the freezer, pack it solid with meats. Also, stock up on disinfectants (alcohol, bleach, Lysol), TP, hand soap.
Did you know? Sherman ran out of food on his little march through Georgia. What did his men survive on? Rice - until he reached the coast and met up with naval supplies.
2). Medicine
Medicine can be tough if the cost is high and you need insurance to cover the cost. Insurance will only let you order a refill within certain time frames.
Suggestions: Try to get 90 day prescriptions instead of 30 days. If the medicine is a generic, consider paying cash instead of insurance so you can stockpile without time restrictions. When picking up a prescription, use a drive thru. Stock up on over the counter medicine. Tylenol, allergy medicine, etc.
3). Gasoline
Expect long lines at the gas stations. If everyone tried to fill up their gas tanks on the same day, all the gas stations would run dry. Fill up gas cans for storage at home. Gas is good for about 3 months in storage. For longer, add a stabilizer that will keep the gas good for 2 years (search amazon for Sta-Bil Storage).
4). PPE
Personal Protective Equipment is needed if you have to interface with crowds. If you are lucky enough to be able to stay at home and hunker down you wont need as many masks or gloves. Most people will need to go to work, etc. Have a supply of disposable gloves and masks, preferably an N95 mask. They can be hard to find now. I was able to buy 240 masks at my local home depot stores over 2 days. Less than $1 per mask is a good price. Also, look on ebay, amazon, etc. (but they have jacked up prices). If you cant find any, ask stores (Walgreens, Home Depot, etc) when they expect new shipments.
5). Guns
Having a gun at home with plenty of ammo is necessary. When some people run out of food, they will be breaking into homes to steal, not money, but food.
6). Crowds
Stay away from crowds. Wear a mask whenever out in public. Order from Amazon, Costco.com. If you have a 24 hour store nearby (some Walmarts are open 24 hours), consider shopping at 3am in the morning.
7). Inanimate Objects
Read online that COVID-19 can live up to 5 days on surfaces given the right temperature and humidity. Could be shorter? Could be longer? The virus cant live indefinitely because it needs a host to survive.
When getting mail, delivered items from Amazon, going to the bank drive thru, be cautious of the virus surviving on items. The mailman could have sneeze on mail right before putting it into your mailbox. Consider spraying items with Lysol and leaving them in the garage for a few days.
get a hobby
People HAVE recovered from coronavirus.
We Americans, being HEALTHY to the max would be the ones who could/would survive.
I got the Asian flu when I was young. Millions died from that as well. I was sick for two+ weeks. Since then I haven't had ANY flu or colds.
remake and a poor one of a previous Larson remake yesterday here on FR which was OK
flu
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm
I assume you are talking about the flu which occurs every year.
Prepping is a hobby.
Asians and middle east and africans hardest hit. europeans much less likely to die from it.
Considering i believe the chinese were creating this to unleash on taiwan, they targeted it for massive wipeout of of taiwanese so resistance would be minimal and would give them ‘cover’ also to ‘help out’ in a ‘humanitarian’ gesture.
You’re OUT OF YOUR MIND. How could a few sniffles in China hurt us - after all, we’re 7000 MILES AWAY from them and we don’t have slanty eyes.
As to myself - my latest estimate is that I’ve spent about $12k pushing forward purchases that I would otherwise be making over the next 1 to 5 years. I figure: Why not buy that stuff now, while it’s cheap and available in unlimited quantities?
Anyway, we can now sit tight for 6 months, maybe more, without having to leave our estate (i.e., house).
If you don't mind, can I add you to the FR Virologists ping list? The fact that you recovered from the Asian flu years ago is qualification enough.
Survival techniques are not a hobby
Correct. It seems a waste of time till it is needed.
Then everyone will wish they had a little forethought.
I went out last year and bought a generator to make sure the lights stayed on, refrigerators worked and My well pump supplied us with water. I have carried water from the creek to flush the toilets and am glad that is over with.
Isn’t it great how CDC, NIH & HHS bureaucrats are keeping us up to date and offering explanations/information. Why do we have these agencies? The bureaucratic state has nice pay and pensions.
If you’re going to order emergency food supplies such as from Patriot or Augusan Farms it may already be too late. Many suppliers are on backorder for weeks if not months.
I totally agree. If we are stuck at home for a month or two, we need to have some things to do at home so we won't die of boredom. If you are going to paint your bedrooms this year, get the paint now, and do it if you get quarantined. Get some books to read. Think about if your children have to stay at home. No use wasting the time.
They have N95 masks at Walmart in the lawn and garden dept...but they are also in short supply. I have three Walmarts near me but had to go to one 60 miles away to find any.
Never hurts to boost your overall resistance and sufficient vitamin C along with NAC as mentioned certainly can’t hurt.
Fighting the flu virus!
Comment: Dr. Andrew W. Saul, an international expert on vitamin therapy, says: The coronavirus can be dramatically slowed or stopped completely with the immediate widespread use of high doses of vitamin C. Bowel tolerance levels of C taken in divided doses throughout the day, is a clinically proven antiviral, without equal.
Fighting the flu virus, this may include the new corona virus as well. A while back when the H-1 N-1 virus was active (2009) some one from the medical profession suggested the use of a good dose of NAC or N-Acetyl Cystein along with a healthy dose of buffered ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) and it appeared to work like a charm.
Just ran across the following article by Dr. Andrew W. Saul what seems to confirm the effectiveness of vitamin C. Not to mention that NAC is a precursor to a very potent anti-oxidant glutathione, which is also used as an antidote against acetaminophen, as well as many other poisonous substances.
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